The governors of Russia’s Rostov regions, neighboring Ukraine and Lipetsk announced on Saturday night increased security measures in the face of the uprising by the paramilitary group Wagner.
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The state agency Tass had previously reported increased security measures in Moscow.
“Law enforcement authorities are taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety of residents of the region (Rostov). I ask everyone to keep calm and not leave the house unless necessary,” Vasily Golubev wrote on Telegram.
Wagner’s leader, who says he has 25,000 troops, had earlier claimed in an audio message that his troops entered Russia from Ukraine, where they were based, and entered the city of Rostov.
The governor of the Russian region of Lipetsk, 420 km south of Moscow, also announced “enhanced security measures”.
“Particular attention will be paid to (protecting) critical infrastructure,” Igor Artamonov wrote on Telegram, urging the population to “keep calm” and refrain from traveling south, to the Russian border regions of Ukraine.
Yevgeny Prigoyine said he wants to sack Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov after accusing them of bombing his troops and killing tens of thousands of men in Ukraine.
“We continue, we will go to the end,” said Evguéni Prigojine, “we will destroy everything that gets in our way.”
He also claimed that Wagner shot down a Russian military helicopter.
Separately, the leader of the paramilitary group Wagner said he and his 25,000 men were ready to die for “the fatherland” and liberate “the Russian people” from the military hierarchy he was rebelling against.
“We are all ready to die, all 25,000. And after that it will be another 25,000. Because we are dying for our fatherland, we are dying for the Russian people, who must be liberated from those who bomb civilians,” Yevgeny Prigoyine stressed in a new audio message on Telegram.